[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Anyway, just back from a cracking day in London. Kids got loads of autographs around the team buses on Westminster bridge. My personal favourite was the white camper van of Bardiani Valvole. As team leader I suppose, Pirazzi gets the front seat. Our eldest stuck her head in the window for an autograph, which Stefano gave before passing the autograph book to the back of the bus for the rest of the team to sign Other notables were Dan Martin and partcularly Kristian House, both of whom gave loads of time to the fans. Managed to get a nice photo of the kids with Kristian House too. At the Movistar bus Madrazo was loving the attention and gave a lot of time to everyone, even calling out Quintana at one point to come and join the fun. Quintana seemed very shy though and just popped out briefly for a few snaps with fans. Got quite a few of the UK Youth team autographs after the race too.

 

[1066familyman]

Sorry about the Worlds.
I did notice the overlap in the week, but then instantly forgot and didn't think to flag it up.

Just before leaving today I thought I'd best check I had no non runners today, and in doing so remembered the Worlds.



It's just unbelievable the access we get towards class sportsmen.
You know fell well any soccerballist would freak out in these guys shoes.

No worries on the Worlds, Cranky and Il need all the points they can get if they're to take it to the wire this season

We saw both Cav & Wiggo cycle from their team bus to the start line and both were flanked by three or four stewards running in front of them. Cav looked quite embarrassed by it to be honest and none of the other riders got that treatment. My eldest got a cracking close up of Quintana as he rode back to the bus from a pre race spin. We also had what I think was Ciolek pull up right in front of us to fix a gear problem. Unfortunately like an idiot I forgot to print off a start list with race numbers on this time so couldn't be absolutely certain it was Ciolek. We only identified Pirazzi because I saw his number and then asked someone close by with a list of teams in his hand if he could tell me Pirazzi's number

 

[Stat Brother]

Where we were standing as the riders came passed to sign on the steward was getting stressed.

John Herity driving, pointed that out to him and then kept saying 'where do I go' every time the steward answered JH asked again.
They were both cracking up, but very differently.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Got quite a few of the UK Youth team autographs after the race too.

Always a great day on our calendar but alas, I had a family party today and I often get dates moved for Football and Cricket but cycling was a blag to far this season. It seems yesterday the start outside Newport Veledrome and a very young Geraint Thomas riding on the youth team, these autographs are of the stars on tomorrow, and its great to watch their careers.

Looks fantastic that we have developed a bloody good and well supported Tour in these isles. Bring on Yorkshire and then London next July....

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm a little gutted to have missed Garmin Movistar etc, after losing jnr to Sky for most of the bridge time.
But I can't complain having virtually forced hero worship of Wiggo and Cav onto him.

I did have a good nose around the early arrivals so we both got what we want.

We've now got to get Spanish Dave to also sign David Lopez' autograph card.

 

[1066familyman]

Always a great day on our calendar but alas, I had a family party today and I often get dates moved for Football and Cricket but cycling was a blag to far this season. It seems yesterday the start outside Newport Veledrome and a very young Geraint Thomas riding on the youth team, these autographs are of the stars on tomorrow, and its great to watch their careers.

Looks fantastic that we have developed a bloody good and well supported Tour in these isles. Bring on Yorkshire and then London next July....

That's pretty much what I said to my eldest when she came back proudly showing off Adam Yates' signature (Simon wasn't about at the time and we know it was Adam who signed because it's the most legible signature of the day).

And hear hear to your last sentence.

 

[1066familyman]

I'm a little gutted to have missed Garmin Movistar etc, after losing jnr to Sky for most of the bridge time.
But I can't complain having virtually forced hero worship of Wiggo and Cav onto him.

I did have a good nose around the early arrivals so we both got what we want.

We've now got to get Spanish Dave to also sign David Lopez' autograph card.

The second time we went back up to Westminster Bridge, having gone off to see the start/finish line set up and get our bearings, we was lucky that the Garmin team bus was just parking up right in front of us. Dan Martin was sat at the front with his feet up so we waited for him to emerge, which sure enough he did almost straight away, and he was very giving of his time. Funny though seeing the Garmin set up (they still have Nathan Haas' kit bag in the luggage compartment even though he abandoned at stage 2 I think), what with the massive flat screen Sharp tv built into the side of the bus above the side door! Compare it to the Bardiani Valvole set up and it really was a world apart.

A nice touch in terms of the 'smallness' of some of the teams was when two riders from one of the small teams rode past and I heard one say to the other with a big smile on his face..."this is mental!" He was clearly loving the occasion.

 

[Stat Brother]

Lycra louts, Wiggo-wannabes and the way newspapers write about cyclists

http://www.theguardian.com/environm...ycling-daily-telegraph-lycra-louts?CMP=twt_gu

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Lycra louts, Wiggo-wannabes and the way newspapers write about cyclists

http://www.theguardian.com/environm...ycling-daily-telegraph-lycra-louts?CMP=twt_gu

I like the term 'outgroup'. He sums up very well the idea that all cyclists are guilty by association.

Perhaps you should post this in a thread of its own and we can come up with a scoring system -

- once upon a time I saw a cyclist jump a red light

- as above but had in near peril for vulnerable group (child/oap)

- describe local road and wildly exaggerate the number of cyclists causing delays

- as above but claim they were '3 abreast'

- the much loved road tax argument.

Feel free to add your own!

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

They never use the cycle paths

They cycle dangerously

They never have lights

 

[Hamilton]

They didn't stop at one red light yesterday in London.

I watched! They all went straight through!

And he is knighted!

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

They didn't stop at one red light yesterday in London.

I watched! They all went straight through!

And he is knighted!

I like the quote from the shopkeeper who'd give wiggins a piece of his mind!

As the spiritual leader of our cult we have been directed by our almighty leader to ride recklessly and with disregard for the God fearing, law abiding denizens of the UK.

 

[Stat Brother]

I like the quote from the shopkeeper who'd give wiggins a piece of his mind!

As the spiritual leader of our cult we have been directed by our almighty leader to ride recklessly and with disregard for the God fearing, law abiding denizens of the UK.

Even funnier the guys a cafe owner.

Clearly to stupid to hang an old frame in his window and cash in all weekend as a cake stop.
F**kin idiot.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Even funnier the guys a cafe owner.

Clearly to stupid to hang an old frame in his window and cash in all weekend as a cake stop.
F**kin idiot.

 

[Stat Brother]

[tweet]382179783355797504[/tweet]

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

[tweet]382179783355797504[/tweet]

Is that the failure of the alonso deal?

Shame

 

[1066familyman]

[tweet]382179783355797504[/tweet]

Just how do these things happen I wonder? Is it the ultimate in middle class parents knowing the opportunities for their kids, because there's some shit hot little kids round our way on balance bikes too (although none of them wear a rapha sky jersey).

I noticed on Sunday that they set a little track up for kids to have organised races around (bib numbers and everything) on the embankment opposite the London Eye. My 8 yr old was with us and she would have loved a go at that. How do these people get to know about these things I wonder? And wouldn't an 'Olympic legacy' be better served by having these races open to any kid that turned up and a stock of bikes there for them all to borrow to race on?

 

[Pantani]

As funny as a kid riding a push bike is, surely the big news yesterday was the collapse of Alonso's deal to take over Euskaltel. Sad times indeed for Spanish cycling, add in that Vacansoleil have definitely gone as well and we are seeing a major shake up of the World Tour ranks. This leaves us one short of the eighteen teams that normally compete in the WT, who will step up a level, for me Iam seem the most likely but do they have the budget and are they good enough, especially after failing to sign Cancellara? There would be a real opportunity for someone to come along and build a team out of the two disappearing teams, but that seems unlikely.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

As funny as a kid riding a push bike is, surely the big news yesterday was the collapse of Alonso's deal to take over Euskaltel. Sad times indeed for Spanish cycling, add in that Vacansoleil have definitely gone as well and we are seeing a major shake up of the World Tour ranks. This leaves us one short of the eighteen teams that normally compete in the WT, who will step up a level, for me Iam seem the most likely but do they have the budget and are they good enough, especially after failing to sign Cancellara? There would be a real opportunity for someone to come along and build a team out of the two disappearing teams, but that seems unlikely.

I think no one is keen - iam, europcar, cofidis are the obvious ones but the last two aren't interested as they already get a TdF invite. Iam will bank on one from chavanel's appeal.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

surely the big news yesterday was the collapse of Alonso's deal to take over Euskaltel

Noooooo

Don't let tinkoff get that licence